Innocence Lost

Chapter 14

The inside of the tent took on an amber glow, as the sun rose on a new day. There was a slight chill in the air, as the sun, slowly burnt away the previous nights mist.

Ella opened her eyes, and shivered. She looked at the empty space beside her. Dutch hadn't spent the night in the tent. Ella sighed. She rubbed her eyes, as she felt a lump in her throat. The sort you have, when you're just about to burst into tears. But she didn't cry. Instead she made a fist and hit the empty space, where, until recently, Dutch used to lay. She screamed quietly, in frustration.

Ella wondered, why she had suddenly been deserted. She'd never woken alone. Dutch had always been there. But she knew, he'd cast off women before. Like poor Molly.

She slipped out of bed, and quickly dressed.

Ella was about to leave the tent, but she glanced at the table, and saw the gun, that Dutch had bought her.

She went back, grabbed it, and shoved it in her belt. If she was going to be alone now, she should be prepared.

As she stepped out of the tent, she scanned the camp, for any sign of Dutch. There was none. Even his horse was gone.

Ella walked across to the campfire, where Sadie and Abigail, were having coffee. Nothing unusual there. They were both, always the first up.

She poured a mug of coffee, "You haven't seen Dutch, this morning, have you?" she asked, glancing between the two women.

Sadie frowned, "No, I figured he was..."

Ella interrupted, "No, he didn't sleep in the tent last night, I haven't seen him, since he rode out with Hosea and Arthur, yesterday morning."

Abigail, looked at Ella sympathetically, knowing Dutch's track record with women, especially camp women. "Sorry Ella, I haven't seen him."

Ella looking into her mug of coffee, then, without saying a word, walked towards the edge of the lake.

Once she was out of earshot, Abigail looked at Sadie, "What is Dutch playing at?"

Sadie shook her head, "I've no idea, they came in by boat yesterday evening, they'd been fishing. Arthur offloaded the fish, and then joined me in the tent," Sadie's cheeks, turned a mild shade of pink.

Abigail sniggered, "You and he, well you make a good couple." She abruptly stopped laughing, "Ella and Dutch, well, maybe not so much."

Sadie frowned, "They seemed so happy, Dutch couldn't do enough for her before..." she stopped, realising she had probably said too much.

Abigail frowned, "before what?" she asked, curiously.

Sadie forced a smile, "before we moved here."

Abigail nodded. She guessed that Sadie was hiding something, but she wasn't sure what.

Ella sat on log, at the edge of the lake, tossing pebbles into the water. She thought about the look Abigail had given her. Like she felt sorry for her. She wondered if she knew where Dutch had spent the night.

Ella found a larger stone and threw it angrily into the water, growling as she did.

"Whoa, chica. What did the lake ever do to you?" Javier asked, laughing.

Ella snapped her head around, she hadn't heard Javier walk up behind her.

She sighed. When Javier, saw the look on her face, he stopped laughing.